


Beyond the Sea of Rhûn

by justreaderr



Series: Rhûnon [3]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, New Elvenrealm, Second Age, Thranduil's POV, Visit to Rhûnon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-09-01 13:32:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8626381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justreaderr/pseuds/justreaderr
Summary: Year 2300 – Second AgeFrom the distance Thranduil's eyes found in midst of all the reddish and orange sails a pair of bluish sail, which drew his attention. He wandered along the dockside and soon found himself face with a ship that look quite a lot like Cirdan’s swanships in the west.There were no harbour-workers close he could ask for this curious coincidence, so he allowed himself to approach the ship to study it up close, but it was hard to deny. Whoever had built this ship had been probably inspired by the ships build by the Teleri, only a bit smaller.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Another part of my little series, yet one quite a bit down the line (Year 2300 – Second Age). A few things that are going to happen are thus already indicated within this part even though I have not posted them yet, since I was never quite happy with them. But they will follow with time. Have fun nevertheless and as always I appreciate feedback.

Year 2300 – Second Age

Thranduil reined his horse in and looked around. Just as the reports had told there were many small settlements in the lands of Dorwinion and he could see the many wine fields already. If the scout spoke truthful then the wine here was of excellent quality and very tasty. This he had been allowed to find out for himself and if so, his father had allowed him to negotiate a treaty.

He rode a few days visiting many a small village and sampling different sorts of grapes and followed the directions of farmers to the largest settlement where he could negotiate with their leader. Said settlement turned out to be a medium sized town with a rather large harbour from where the wine was shipped far and wide.

He decided to visit the harbour later and look at the ships, maybe there were some large ones as well. But for now he made for the town hall and after a short while was lead to speak with the Avari leader. 

The elf was rather short and had pitch-black hair and just as dark eyes. They spoke for a long while until they decided on one barrel a month delivered up the Celduin for them to collect to a fair price. If they found the approval of the other elves in the greenwood the number would increases drastically, but the elf named Golondil promised that they had still some capacities open, which he would reserve for them for three month and if they did not want to increase their order he would find buyers else were.

Satisfied with his achievement the young sindarin prince left the town hall again and went to a small inn for his midday meal and allowed himself another cup of that heady and strong, but oh so delicious wine.

But then strengthened and just a little bit tipsy he made his way down to the docks to look at the ships ere he would return back to his father’s settlement. He kept his distance from the eastling men of whom he had heard nothing too good and merely studied their strange ships while they loaded barrel after barrel, thankfully not overly interested in him.

From the distance his eyes found in midst of all the reddish and orange sails a pair of bluish sail, which drew his attention. He wandered along the dockside and soon found himself face with a ship that look quite a lot like Cirdan’s swanships in the west.

There were no harbour-workers close he could ask for this curious coincidence, so he allowed himself to approach the ship to study it up close, but it was hard to deny. Whoever had built this ship had been probably inspired by the ships build by the Teleri, only a bit smaller. Yet he was no sailor so it might just be his inexperience that let him compare them so easily, in truth they were quite different probably.

Yet, he might mention this to his father nevertheless for it seemed still very unlikely that men or Avari had built a ship so similar looking to others they had never had a chance to see before.

His attention turned to a huge corsairs’ ship with dark sail and he made to go over there to look at it, when he heard some snippets of Sindarin, which was strange for the Avari did not speak his native tongue and he turned around.

From between two houses a group of elves stepped out talking amicably among themselves and Thranduil could not help but stare. The group contained not just Sindar, but also Noldor and some that looked as if they were a cross between both races. Where did they come from? Surely not all the way from Lindon.

For a moment he considered if he should hide away and listen in on their conversation, but then decided that it would be most unclothe to spy on kin, so he stayed and waited until they noticed him. 

It took them but a moment and then they quietened and eyed him as if he had grown two heads, then however they moved towards him and surrounded him talking excitedly over each other, until finally one of them, their leader probably, called them to order.

“Who are you, mellon? I have never seen you here before.” the Noldo asked curiously.

“I am Thranduil Oropherion, prince from the Greenwood the Great.”

“Greenwood?” another elf, a Sinda, asked. “I have never heard of an elven population anywhere here in the east beside us and the Avari of Dorwinion.”

“You dwell here?” Thranduil questioned astonished. “Where?”

“Our realm is Rhûnon beyond the great lake. We will however sail back within the hour.”

“You will?” the elvenprince murmured thoughtful, he had planned to return home in a great hurry, but to go and visit this unknown Elvenrealm was tempting. “How often do ships travel between your realm and here?”

“Once a month, why? Do you want to come with us?”

“I am tempted to visit if you’d bring me back and forth.”

The other elves turned toward their leader, who chewed his lips for a moment in thought but then nodded, “No one ever said that we would keep ourselves hidden from the world, and since you surly can’t sail there either way I see no reason why you should not be allowed to come. But we will ready the ship now and then sail off immediately so you need to hurry.”

“I brought nothing with me, but what I carry and my horse. I am sure the Avari here will see to him until my return.”

“Indeed they will”, the captain answered and winked a dock worker over and explained the situation. The young Avariboy nodded eagerly once told where the horse was and promised to bring it to their other horses to stay with them for the while.

Following one of the Sindar on board Thranduil was shown a small cabin where he could spend the duration of the trip across the lake, which would take about five days. 

The Sindaprince had never spent much time on ships and therefore spend nearly every moment he could out in the open staring over the sheer endless water or watching the crewmen working. The weather was nice and the water calm, which one of the sailors told him was normal during summer but in autumn or spring and especially in winter it was sometimes less than pleasant making the trip to Dorwinion for it would rain without break or great storms would brew making it sometimes too dangerous to even attempt the crossing.

During the third day of the journey however Thranduil noticed a change in the distance and the nearer they drew the more scared he became.

“Captain, say, is it wise to make for this fog over there? It seemed very dangerous to sail were one can hardly see.”

But the captain merely chuckled amused and explained, “Well, young prince, this fog is caused by our King’s magic and hides the waters leading to our harbour. You are correct that no sailor in his right mind would attempt to cross this mist for they would get lost inevitably and smash into the cliffs, but we are guided by the pull of our realm and will not lose our way and we know these waters well and know were to be careful.”

“I see” the blond elf remarked suddenly a lot less comfortable on the ship.

Traveling through fog was on water even worse than on land, Thranduil decided after merely hours within the thick white mist. Not only was it cold and wet but one could see absolute nothing safe for the ship and your travelling companions. No trees, no stones to reveal if he could see two miles or merely ten feet and no end in sight.

His comrades said they would be stuck within here for two days, but how they could tell this he did not know, for he could not see the sky either and dark it was all the time anyway in this nasty pea soup fog.

For hours the prince paced the length of the ship in hope the fog would diffuse but when it did not he returned grumpily into his cabin to try and sleep through it. This must have worked then he was woken by someone knocking on his door and when he opened drowsily the other elf told him to come back on deck for they were nearing their harbour.

Suddenly excited Thranduil rushed to put on his clothes and followed the crewman. Once outside the Sinda noticed pleased that the fog was gone and when he turned his eyes fell on two tall white towers which guarded the sides of what appeared to be a delta.

They followed the narrowing gap that transformed slowly into a river leading further inland, but Thranduil’s attention was captured by the white walls of the city slowly rising from amidst the forest that spread over the land before them.

Their ship changed its course somewhat and came into port. While the elves around him were busy on landing he allowed himself to look around. The harbour was rather small adorning both sides of the river and only another large ship lay there as well as a multitude of smaller fisher boats.

From the ends of both docks a tall wall arose and vanished after maybe a few dozen paces within the thick cover of the trees, surrounding the city and keeping it safe; only were the river came to the fore the wall was interrupted and between two more towers a broad, high bridge linked both sides of the river a small boat just passing through underneath.

One of the sailors, a young boy more precise stepped up to him and said, “If you’ll come with me, prince Thranduil, Barathil told me to bring you to meet our king.”

The Sinda nodded and followed the young elf from the ship and along the harbour, where more and more elves now came to start unloading the ship. They entered the city through a gate beneath the tower and when the prince eyed the set of stairs running up the building the boy stopped and explained. “If we were to go up there, we could access the wall and the bridge, but we don’t need to cross the river for the palace is on this side. Come.”

Thranduil nodded and allowed the child to lead on. The part of the city the first accessed seemed dominated with workshops and the tell-tale smell of tanneries and the noises of forges filled the air. But the boy, his name was Thalion if Thranduil remembered correctly hasted on obviously deciding here was nothing of great interest for his guest. They followed the white stones marking the path beneath the huge trees and slowly the workshops made room for market stalls and soon the first houses.

Curious Thranduil studied the stairs that winded themselves around the trunks of the mightiest of the trees; following them up with his eyes until he found himself face with another city build in the tops of the trees.

“Who dwells up there?” he questioned and young Thalion answered, “Mostly Greenelves and the few Avari that have decided to settle here, but a few Sindar and Noldor have developed a fondness for the talarn as well. There are only houses up there however; they have to come down for everything else. If you want, we can continue our way up there as well, the bridges all lead to the palace and span from there throughout the entire city.”

The Sinda considered it for a moment, but then decided that it was highly inappropriate to access another king’s home through the upper levels of his palace. While it might be somewhat normal for the elves who dwelled here, he was only a visitor and it would likely made a bad impression. So he shook his head and the boy merely shrugged, then lead on.

The nearer they came to the palace the busier the streets became. While they had encountered just the scattered elf once in a while before, now many walked around. Some alone, other’s in groups, which set Thranduil in the mind that the palace probably encompassed more than just their king’s resistance.

Once asked Thalion nodded, “Yes, prince Thranduil, our king deemed it a waste of space to merely stick him in there, so the healers’ halls are there as well and the library and the refectory and commune halls and bathes. If you want to meet someone you just have to wait at the palace because sooner or later everyone comes by there; most actually more than once a day.”, he pointed over to a group of elder elves obviously caught in deep discussion. “Some even live here. Not just servants, but also the high-ranking ones such as councillors and one or two elves, who have no family and do not wish to dwell alone.”

The palace turned out to be a huge building that reached high into the crowns of the trees where it seamlessly merged into a Talan from which bridges led in all directions.

While the elves in the lower parts of the city had eyed Thranduil curiously and then moved on, the elves here blatant stared at him and one of the elves previously in deep discussion walked over to them. Thalion bowed to him and Thranduil studied the Sinda for a moment. He seemed somewhat familiar.

“Lord Celinduil”, he then stated, his eyes wide in astonishment. Of all the things he had expected, meeting and Elvenlord from Doriath was not among them.

“Thranduil Oropherion. You have grown.” The ancient elf stated and tipped his head aside, “How do you come to be within Rhûnon?”

“I have visited Dorwinion for we were told of its great vintages. There I came upon the ship which I boarded to visit this realm I have never before heard of.”

“I see” Celinduil nodded then turned to the boy and said. “I will take over your charge from here on, Thalion, you may return to your nanneth, I am sure she is already worried when you not returned to her immediately after landing.”

The young elf nodded, than bowed again and ran off.

“How did you end up going to Dowinion, it is so far in the east. It seems unlikely that you would go there for wine.”

“Adar has had many disagreements with High-king Gil-Galad in the past, so we set off into the east and settled with a group of Woodelves in the Great Greenwood, where Oropher became their king.” Thranduil explained.

“Ah”, Celinduil remarked thoughtful, “So Oropher is now here as well. I have heard from my king that Lord Celeborn had moved beyond the Misty Mountains as well some time ago.”

“Indeed, we went with him yet did not stop in Eregion but passed on further until our eyes fell on the Greenwood, were we stayed. Tell me, my lord, who rules here then?”

The ancient Sinda looked thoughtful for a moment, but then sighed, “We followed the Noldor around the High-prince Maglor, who lead us here and became our king.”

Thranduil blanched as he gapped wordlessly at the other Sinda, then finally he breathed quietly, “You follow a kinslayer, voluntarily?”

“Mablung made the decision, but yes we did and I know no one who regrets it. Maglor is certainly a disputable elf who had done many a wrong, but he has faced our punishment and is a wise and benign king. I understand your reaction well, penneth, for it had taken me very long until I have been able to accept this and him completely.”

The young elf needed a moment to calm his erratic breathing, but then he nodded slowly, “I shall trust your word on this, but why in the name of Eru did you followed him to begin with. Why have you not simply settled with Celeborn?”

“We have been following Mablung for quite a while already and when he decided that we would reach out to Maglor for compensation and guidance we followed his wisdom and he had been right. We live safe and happy and prosper here, beneath Maglor’s rule.”

The prince allowed himself to look around again, this time however not through the eyes of a young elf discovering something new and curious but rather as a statesman estimating a potential ally. The elves here did look happy, they were all well fed and dressed nicely. The parts of the city he had seen looked all well taken care off and he had seen no one poor and wanting for anything. Which was more then he could say for their settlement in the Greenwood.

When Celinduil noticed that Thranduil slowly started to relax again he started to move once more, leading the way towards the large white building. They entered and the old Sinda let the prince up a set of stairs. They followed a few hallways until they reached a large dark door where the councillor stopped and knocked.

When they were bid to enter the sentry standing guard moved and pulled the door open for them.

They entered a medium-sized room that was dominated by a large table in the middle and a circle of chairs around it. Only three elves were within the room, all bowed over a piece of paper that lay on the table. But when they stepped in all three looked up. 

Thranduil wasted only a blink of an eye studying the elves on the left and right of the Noldo, two Greenelves as it seemed which stepped back and bowed. No his attention was focussed on the Elvenking that looked back at them without betraying a thought. “Celinduil, I have not expected your coming” Maglor said, but then his eyes fell on Thranduil, who stopped immediately frozen to the spot. “And who is your companion? I do not believe I have seen him here before.”

The ancient Sinda bowed his head slightly in reverence then explained, “This is Thranduil Oropherion, he came with the ship from Dorwinion and hails from the kingdom in the Great Greenwood.”

The king furrowed his brow then dismissed the two other elves ere he continued to speak. “I was unaware that there was an elven kingdom in the Greenwood.”

“So was I, my king, but as I have learned from young Thranduil, his father went with Lord Celeborn east and continued on until they found the Greenwood were he became the king of the Nandor living there.” When Maglor merely eyed his councillor quizzically he continued, “Oropher is an aristocrat from Doriath distantly related to Thingol.”

The Noldoking grimaced slightly when he heard the name of the ancient Sindarrealm, but otherwise showed little reaction. “I see, and what brings you into my realm, Prince Thranduil?”

“Cur-” the young elf cleared his throat, “Curiosity, my lord. I never before heard of an elven realm this far in the east, and when I met your sailors in Dorwinion I accompanied them.”

“Indeed. Since the next ship will leave for Dorwinion not within the next three weeks I assume you will be staying here then. Celinduil, maybe you can find Gilrin and inform him that we have an unexpected guest.”

The councillor nodded and left the room, leaving Thranduil alone with Maglor. Worried the young elf shifted his weight from one foot to the other and rubbed his hands. The old Noldor eyed his doings for a while but then snored and moved to settle on his throne. “I do not bite, child. So do come closer and have a seat. It has been a long while indeed since I last heard something from beyond my lands.”

Not actually wishing to go anywhere near the notorious Elflord, but wishing to anger him even less Thranduil moved closer and dropped stiffly on one of the chairs remaining however ready to bolt at any given time. When he redirected his eyes to the other Elvenlord’s face he noticed that while his face was strict and unmoved an amused glint shone in his eyes.

“So, how is life in the Greenwood then?”

“It is acceptable, my lord. We don’t have a city like this for Woodelves dislike being enclosed, but we get by nevertheless.” Thranduil murmured uncertainly.

“You do not sound very convinced of this” Maglor remarked.

Thranduil shrugged “It had been easier before Sauron gained so much influence.”

“I know he has devastated Eregion for I have been visiting my nephew there around that time, but since then had never encountered much problems with him. I have however heard from the Avari of Dorwinion that he has gained large numbers of followers among the men of the east and south.”

“That is true; he also raised massive armies of orcs and forced his influence over nearly the entire west coming even to Lindon’s borders. Only with the aid of the Númenóreans they had been able to defend themselves and force him out of Eriador. He has retreated to his lands in Mordor it is said.”

Thoughtful the Noldo nodded and then narrowed his eyes, “These are worrying news, indeed. Tell me, I have heard strange rumours carried by the wind and the birds. It is said that the dead are following him. Nine men who faded away into shadows.”

“Yes”, Thranduil whispered, “They were once great king of men, but they were betrayed by Sauron who gave them the nine rings of men. They fell into shadow and became the Ringwraiths, dreadful beings enslaved by the one ring.”

“I have to think on this news you brought” the king murmured more to himself than to Thranduil and then rose, “Allow me to show you to the hall were you will find food and drink. My seneschal will come to you and bring you to your chambers then.”

Thranduil nodded, glad that he could leave the side of that overwhelming Elvenking soon and followed him. On their way Maglor stopped another elf and gave him an order, but since he spoke to him in ancient Quenya the young prince could not understand more than a few words, from these he however could gather that Maglor wished to speak with his advisors, presumably to share what he had just learned from Thranduil.

In the dining hall many rows of tables and benches stood and a good number of elves had taken their seats for their midday meal. Maglor lead him through the room to the high-table, where Celinduil and a Noldo riddled with scars sat, who looked rather familiar. 

“You might know my nephew Telperinquar – Celebrimbor in your tongue.”

With wide eyes Thranduil stared at the famed smith then uttered, “But you’re dead. The tales tell that Saurons forces bore your body as a banner when they marched against the elvish forces.”

The jewelsmith grimaced and then shook his head, “What they bore I know not, but some of my uncle’s warriors stole me away from Sauron’s forces ere he could end me. They brought me here probably for a proper burial, but against all odds I survived.”

Ere the prince could ask more Maglor interrupted and addressed his elves, “I would speak with both of you once you have finished your meal.” Then he turned and vanished again.

Celebrimbor followed his retreat with his eyes then remarked to Celinduil, “He is worried.”

“Indeed” the Sinda answered and fixed his eyes back on Thranduil, “What have you spoken about?”

“Sauron’s activities.” The young elf answered and allowed a servant to place a plate in front of him and fill his glass. The two elves shared a long look and then focussed their attention back on their lunch. 

Thranduil would have liked to ask more questions, but since the attention of both elves were completely else where he dared not to intrude.

A short while after both had excused themselves another Noldo came to him and introduced himself as Gilrin the Seneschal who would guide him to his chambers. Suddenly eager for some solitude and rest to digest what he had discovered here Thranduil allowed the other elf to lead the way.

His chambers turned out to be a nice and well-lit antechamber with a bedroom and a small bathroom. While a servant ran a bath for him he went to look out of the windows to see some more of the city. The mighty trees did not allow an undisturbed look but he spotted a group of elflings trailing an old elf into a park, where they all sat down and the adult started to read to them from a huge tome. Idly he wondered for a moment if young Thalion was there as well, but once the servant left his chamber he forgot everything about elflings when he settled into the bath.

For a few hours he allowed his tense and tightly coiled body to soak in the warm water until he finally managed to relax somewhat. Yet not that much later someone knocked at his door and his newfound ease dispensed somewhat again as he followed Gilrin down to the dining hall again.

He took a seat on the right next to Elvenking, who sat at the head of the high table and on his left Celebrimbor. Maglor introduced Thranduil to the other elves along the table, who were mostly councillors but also the heads of guilds and the leaders of Rhûnon’s army.

No matter how much Thranduil had feared no one made an attempt to discuss Sauron during dinner. Instead they spoke over different thing happening in their realm.

Once they had completed their dinner two small elflings ran up to Maglor and begged him to sing something for them. To the obvious delight of the other elves in the room it appears not even a kinslayer could refuse the large, pleading eyes of two elfling anything as he allowed them to pull him to his feet and drag him over to a harp that stood among other instruments in one corner of the hall.

When the old Noldo began to play and sing, Thranduil allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relieve and sunk deeper into his chair to listen. As appellant as Maglor’s deed had been the Elvenking of Rhûnon definitively knew how to sooth an elf’s worries and gain their favour with a song.


End file.
